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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 6h

2/2 Wearing a very splendid earring, given that she's just sitting about hunched over some coals. Clearly anticipated that Everdingen would paint her!

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 7h

Cold day! Woman warming her hands over a pot of coals, painted by Caesar van Everdingen, 1646.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 7h

A very chubby and self-satisfied putto within a generally mysterious allegory. From Caesar van Everdingen of Alkmaar, who died on this day in 1678.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 7h

2/2 Dikes (aided by Mercury and Minerva) are keeping out the ferocious waters of Neptune, courtesy of Caesar van Everdingen.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 8h

Count William II grants a charter to the Water Board of Rhineland. Exciting event immortalized here in 1655 by Caesar van Everdingen of Alkmaar, whose day is today, with the help of Pieter Post.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 14h

Bust of Venus. Cupid has been beheaded. Troubling conceit from 1665 by Caesar van Everdingen, whose day is today.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 14h

Caesar van Everdingen's Rape of Europa. OK, it's definitely not Titian, but it does have a huge abundance of randomly circling putti.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 15h

A little girl poses as a huntress (Diana) in 1655 for Caesar van Everdingen.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 17h

Portrait of a very contented two-year-old boy with an apple, and his little goldfinch. Painted by Caesar van Everdingen, whose day is today.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 20h

Guarding Alkmaar in 1657, and painted by Caesar van Everdingen. Also w/ A+ frame! Those civic guards had excellent taste.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 21h

Died (alas!) on this day in 1678, Caesar van Everdingen of Alkmaar. Painter of histories and of portraits. This one of himself, in 1675.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Sadly lacking its original frame but still a stirring sight, the great Polyptych of the Misericordia, painted by Piero della Francesca. It's been his day.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Brera Madonna, 1472, co-starring Federico da Montefeltre. If you like perfection (and it's not to everybody's taste) this is for you. By spatial mastermind Piero della Francesca.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Infinitely enigmatic Flagellation of Christ, c. 1455, by spatial genius Piero della Francesca. Today is his day.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

2/2 On back of Piero della Francesca's Montefeltro portraits, the couple ride in chariots w/ their virtues in front of a rather surreal landscape.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Don’t believe tour guides all the time. They like a good anecdote now and then, true or not.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Federico da Montefeltro (of the famous nose) & his lovely wife Battista Sforza. Frozen in time in their perfect profiles, in 1470, by Piero della Francesca.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

1Winners & losers in Piero's battle scene at Arezzo. Hair pulling! So ungentlemanly.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Headgear in renaissance battle scenes never ceases to fascinate. This one by Piero della Francesca, in Arezzo.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Battle of Heraclius & Chosroes by Piero della Francesca, working in the Cappella Maggiore, Arezzo. Most utterly motionless battle ever painted. Even Uccello moves more than this. Today is Piero's day.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

The gorgeous renaissance geometry of Piero della Francesca in Arezzo.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

The True Cross is found, and Saint Helena recognizes it. Helpfully, a miracle also occurs, confirming her intuition. As painted by Piero della Francesca in Arezzo.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Cappella Maggiore, church of San Francesco, Arezzo: amazing frescoes of the Legend of the True Cross by Piero della Francesca, 1452-66. It's his day.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

While soldiers sleep, the ultimate miracle occurs. And the ultimate painting of it is Piero della Francesca, in 1462. Today is his day.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Amazing lucid solemnity in Baptism of Christ, 1450, by Piero della Francesca. He died (alas!) on this day in 1492.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

The bottom part, so gold and traditional. The top part, space like a miracle. JUST like a miracle, truly. That's Piero, with the polyptych of Saint Anthony in 1469.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

This Annunciation is staged before a truly fabulous demonstration of deep perspective. Top segment of the Polyptych of Saint Anthony, by Piero della Francesca. It's his day.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Died (alas!) on this day in 1492, in Sansepolcro, the great Piero della Francesca. I could gaze forever at the fearsome geometry of his Annunciation.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Striking portrait of a girl, 1545. By Georg Pencz of Nuremberg, who died (alas!) on this day in 1550.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Women messing with men's heads du jour: Tomyris inserts head of King Cyrus into a bag that she thoughtfully remembered to bring along. By Georg Pencz, 1541.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Portrait of Count Palatine Ottheinrich, a squarely bearded fellow from Georg Pencz in 1550.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Mark Zuckerberg in a previous life, and with A+ codpiece: seated youth painted in 1544 by Georg Pencz, whose day is today.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Equally fed up with the whole portrait thing. Still got painted by Georg Pencz, whose day is today.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Elisabeth Schwetzer made a very poor choice of headgear to be painted in 1544 by Georg Pencz. But one senses that she wasn't really that invested in the portrait-sitting process to begin with.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

2/2 Cupid: All the other kids have swans! I want one too! Venus: Sorry honey that's not the way I run. By Georg Pencz.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Leda's three older children (who knew?) are excited by the possibility of a pet swan. As imagined by Georg Pencz, whose day is today.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Saint Jerome and his lion, bonding meditatively over thoughts of life's vanity in 1548. As painted by Georg Pencz, whose day is today.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Coming in for a landing: angel, by Georg Pencz of Nuremberg in the 1520s. It’s his day today.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Portrait of Lienhard Hirschvogel in 1542. With his fave glass of something fortifying. By Georg Pencz of Nuremberg, whose day is today.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 11/10/2026

Died (alas!) on this day in 1550, Georg Pencz, painter & printmaker of Nuremberg. Here, his portrait of his colleague Erhard Schwetzer in 1544.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Any really stylish wedding procession must involve bagpipes and a dog! This one by Pieter Brueghel the Younger, whose day is today.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

3/3 The red sun behind the trees! Is only in the original, because Pieter the Elder added it late in the process and junior didn't know about it.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

2/2 Another version of the Census at Bethlehem by Pieter Brueghel the younger. Because there's always another version. And do we all know what KEY element of the original is missing from all the copies?

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Census at Bethlehem occurring in a Flemish village in winter, as painted by my colleague Pieter Brueghel the Younger (d. OTD 1632) after his famous father's design.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

3/3 A little peasant festivity to celebrate somebody’s wedding. By Pieter Brueghel the Younger, whose day is today.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

2/2 The original. By Dad. Truly a great painting! Pieter the Younger made up his version from the workshop drawings. And today is his birthday.

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Rollicking peasant wedding dance to liven up your autumn day by my colleague Pieter Brueghel the Younger, whose day is today. Don’t confuse this with his father’s painting!

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Preaching of John the Baptist to a very international crowd. By Pieter Brueghel the Younger (whose day is today) after his father's composition. He did this a lot, & people loved the results!

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Dr. Peter Paul Rubens @peterpaulrubens.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Died (according to some) OTD in 1636: my colleague Pieter Brueghel the Younger. Here in 1606 by Spranger. He had a great beard. His fame lives forever.

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